A Lost Churches (North) Walk
Route & what to see
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london-footprints.co.uk |
A 2 mile walk from St Paul's Station to Bank looking at sites and remains of lost City churches.
INTRODUCTION
In 1666 there were 109 churches in the City of London. Eighty
nine of these were destroyed in the Great Fire and only 52
rebuilt, mainly by Sir Christopher Wren. From the late 18th
century some churches were lost to rebuilding schemes [satirical print]. As the resident population of the City
began to fall so did the church congregations. The Union of
Benefices Act of 1860 allowed the London diocese to sell their
churches and built new ones in the suburbs with the proceeds.
This accounted for the loss of some 22 churches. After WWI a
commission recommended the demolition of a further 19 but many
famous names lent their support in protest. By 1939 there were 47
churches left but many were damaged in air raids of 1940 &
1941. Three were never rebuilt, four retained only their towers
and the remains of St Mary Aldermanbury were relocated to
Missouri. There are now 39 churches in the City of which 23 were
built by Wren.
Exit station into New Change
ST MICHAEL LE QUERNE
Named after a nearby market where corn was sold. Destroyed in
Fire and united with St Vedast Foster Lane.
Walk through Cathedral
garden
ST FAITH UNDER ST PAULS
Separate church until 1255 when the cathedral was extended.
Re-established in the crypt. Destroyed in Fire and united with St
Augustine Watling Street. Pump in St Paul's Churchyard.
ST AUGUSTINE WATLING STREET
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Bombed in January and May
1941. Tower restored with replica fibre-glass spire and
incorporated into St Paul's Choir School. Parish united with St
Mary-le-Bow in 1954.
Walk along south side of
Cathedral
ST GREGORY BY ST PAULS
Destroyed in Fire and united with St Mary Magdalen, Old Fish
Street.
Right along Ave Maria Lane
continuing along Warwick Lane. Right at Newgate Street.
CHRIST CHURCH GREYFRIARS
Damaged in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Only tower and ruined nave
survived bombing. East end demolished for road widening. Tower
restored in 1960 (as residence) and site set out as garden.
Across into Cheapside then
left along Foster Lane.
ST LEONARD FOSTER LANE
Destroyed in Fire and united with Christ Church, Newgate Street.
ST JOHN ZACHARY
Damaged in Fire and united with St Anne & St Agnes. Ruins
remained until 19th century. Site laid out as a garden in 1941 by
firewatchers, winning Best Garden on a Blitzed Site in 1950.
Redesigned in the 1960s and 1995/6. West section at street level
was the site of the former churchyard with a number of
gravestones. East section of the garden at lower level was site
of the church. Garden maintained by the Goldsmiths'
Company
Continue along Noble Street
ST OLAVE SILVER STREET
Destroyed in Fire and united with St Alban, Wood Street. On the
site of the churchyard is a garden on two levels. Either side of
the steps are two much-weathered plaques set into the brick,
probably late C17th or C18th, with inscriptions relating to the
church, a skull and crossbones visible on one. In the raised area
a few gravestones remain within the grass.
Return and go left at Oat
Lane
ST MARY STAINING
Destroyed in Fire and united with St Michael, Wood Street. Small
garden with some tombstones on the site.
Continue along Staining Lane
then cross Gresham Street into Gutter Lane.
ST MATTHEW FRIDAY STREET
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished in 1880s and
united with St Vedast Foster Lane which received some of its
monuments. Pulpit and font to St Andrew by the Wardrobe. Financed
St Thomas, Finsbury Park.
Left at Cheapside then first
left along Wood Street.
ST MICHAEL WOOD STREET
Damaged in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Demolished in 1894 and
united with St Alban, Wood Street. Paintings of Moses and Aaron
transferred to St Anne & St Agnes.
Cross Gresham Street and
continue along Wood Street.
ST ALBAN WOOD STREET
Damaged in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Modernised in 1858. Bombed
on 29 December 1940. Ruins demolished 1955 and tower restored in
1964 then in 1984/5 converted to a house
Right at Love Lane then left
into Aldermanbury.
ST MARY THE VIRGIN ALDMANBURY
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Only tower and some
columns survived bombing on 29 December 1940. United with St
Vedast, Foster Lane. Remains send to Fulton, Missouri in 1960s
and incorporated into church erected to the memory of Winston
Churchill at Westminster College. Garden laid out on site with
plaque.
Continue along Aldermanbury.
ST MICHAEL BASSISHAW
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Closed as unsafe in the
1890s when the crypt was cleared. Demolished in 1900 and united
with St Lawrence Jewry. Weather vane transferred to St Andrew by
the Wardrobe.
Right at Basinghall Street
continuing along Basinghall Avenue. Right at Coleman Street.
ST STEPHEN COLEMAN STREET
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Destroyed by bombing.
Right at Gresham Street then
left along Ironmonger Lane.
ST MARTIN POMERY
Originally near an apple orchard. Destroyed in Fire and united
with St Olave Jewry. Open space around this was St Martin's
graveyard.
Left through St Olav Court.
ST OLAVE OLD JEWRY
Destroyed in Fire and rebuilt by Wren. Closed in 1888 and united
with St Margaret Lothbury. Site sold in 1891 but tower retained
as offices and rectory. Furnishings to St Olave, Woodberry Down
which it financed and other city churches. Organ transferred to
Christchurch, Penge.
Right at Old Jewry then left along Poultry to Bank Station.
FOR CHURCHES AT BANK JUNCTION: see East route
Resources
Vanished Churches of the Ciy of London by Gordon Huelin
The London Encyclopaedia by Weinreb & Hibbert
Wren's London by Colin Amery
London Gardens database
london-footprints.co.uk 2013